Assignment: Educational Issues Around ReformResearch and Teach-in
Introduction
Our final project of the course provides you with an opportunity to deepen your understanding of issues that are related to current reform efforts around the country as well as here in Rhode Island. Your goal should be to deepen your knowledge about what is going on beneath the "platitudes" so that you can teach us something that either excites, interests, or concerns you.
For this project, you will work in a team of three or four students to complete two different project components, an online background research summary and an in-class lesson on your team’s issue. The background research consists of a collection of article citations, summaries and reactions that provide information related to questions you have about to your issue.
Before beginning our work in teams, the class will read Diane Ravitch's book criticizing current reform initiatives and then carefully look at the current Strategic Plan that Rhode Island's Department of Education is uses as a framework for its Race to the Top project. Based on these readings, we will decide on 4 or 5 broad areas of reform that you can decide focus on in your research teams.
In your team, you will decide on an overall question at least four research subquestions. Each team member will locate and summarize five articles related to one of these subquestions. The team will create a background research page in URITK that will combine these summaries to form a collection of articles around the original issue. Each individual’s research as well as the team’s background research page will be posted in URITK to serve as a resource for class members as well as for future education students at URI.
The second component of this project is a teach-in, i.e. each group will have one class period to teach the class as much as they can about their particular reform issue. Each class must include both background information and an engaging activity. Background information can include presentations, videos, powerpoint slides, etc. Activities can include application tasks, games, discussions, skits, you name it. (You’re the teachers!). Since time is so short, each group will also moderate a discussion online about their research and what they taught us in class.
Instructions
Part 1: Background Research Guidelines
Each team should complete their background research and represent their results on URITK by Monday, November 29.
Each team’s Background Research page should be linked to the EDC 102 Final Project Page and should be created using the template “EDC 102 Fnl Prj Team Page.”
Each team member should complete his or her background research on a page created from the “EDC 102 Fnl Proj Student Research” template. Each person should follow the instructions on the template page and link to his or her team’s page.
Each researcher should include the following types of articles to investigate their research question:
At least one editorial or opinion essay.
One analysis article from a magazine such as Newsweek, Time, or reputable newspaper such as the NYTimes.
One article from a scholarly or professional journal, such as Educational Leadership, The Science Teacher, etc.
One summary article such as an ERIC Digest or CQ Researcher Report.
For each article, you should include the following:
Its citation in APA style. (Please post a citation for each of your articles in our shared space in Zotero groups.)
One paragraph that summarizes the article
One paragraph that presents your reaction to the article, including how you think it informs our concerns about Rhode Island schools.
Part 1 of the project will be evaluated based on its completeness and overall quality.
Part 2: Teach-in
As your team is completing its background research, you should meet often to decide what is important to share and how you will engage the class so that we learn what you think is important. The remaining class time is available for your work, but you may also need to meet outside of class. Your goal should be to push us beyond a “common sense” understanding of your issue and present more than one side of any controversies that exist.
You will teach one of the last four class sessions. Because time is short, there will be a sliding extra credit award for teams that decide to present earlier rather than later. Your group can sign up for a presentation time online on the Final Project Page in URITK.
Part 2 will be evaluated on how effectively it informs and engages the class. The evaluation rubric is posted online.
Introduction
Our final project of the course provides you with an opportunity to deepen your understanding of issues that are related to current reform efforts around the country as well as here in Rhode Island. Your goal should be to deepen your knowledge about what is going on beneath the "platitudes" so that you can teach us something that either excites, interests, or concerns you.
For this project, you will work in a team of three or four students to complete two different project components, an online background research summary and an in-class lesson on your team’s issue. The background research consists of a collection of article citations, summaries and reactions that provide information related to questions you have about to your issue.
Before beginning our work in teams, the class will read Diane Ravitch's book criticizing current reform initiatives and then carefully look at the current Strategic Plan that Rhode Island's Department of Education is uses as a framework for its Race to the Top project. Based on these readings, we will decide on 4 or 5 broad areas of reform that you can decide focus on in your research teams.
In your team, you will decide on an overall question at least four research subquestions. Each team member will locate and summarize five articles related to one of these subquestions. The team will create a background research page in URITK that will combine these summaries to form a collection of articles around the original issue. Each individual’s research as well as the team’s background research page will be posted in URITK to serve as a resource for class members as well as for future education students at URI.
The second component of this project is a teach-in, i.e. each group will have one class period to teach the class as much as they can about their particular reform issue. Each class must include both background information and an engaging activity. Background information can include presentations, videos, powerpoint slides, etc. Activities can include application tasks, games, discussions, skits, you name it. (You’re the teachers!). Since time is so short, each group will also moderate a discussion online about their research and what they taught us in class.
Instructions
Part 1: Background Research Guidelines
Part 2: Teach-in